GdS: Intensity, possession, ideas – how Fonseca has already won over the squad | OneFootball

Paulo Fonseca’s time at AC Milan is very much still in its infancy, but the signs that are coming from Milanello are very positive as per a report.

La Gazzetta dello Sport open their piece by stating ‘Milanello has a new mayor’ and that, in the first votes, he has received great consensus. Fonseca has been working at the sports centre since last Monday and, after just over a week, it can be said: the Milan players like him.

The first impressions, behind the scenes, are very positive. Fonseca is convincing everyone with how he works and how he approached the team. Many big names are missing like Mike Maignan, Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao, but those who have worked under him in recent days have been impressed.

Fonseca worked a lot with the ball in the first few training sessions and only stopped over the weekend. He tried to bring intensity, working a lot on passing and receiving the ball, on posture, on build-up, and the players are almost always happy when they get to play with the ball.

Some players speak (without being directly quoted) of clear ideas, transmitted by the Portuguese with clarity. The season is long but there are certainly smiles, despite Fonseca having called everyone to a series of double sessions, i.e. training in the morning and in the afternoon.

This week, with the exception of tomorrow, Milan will do double sessions every day. The players will start at Milanello in the morning and will be free only in the evening. As a side note, Milan Futuro are following the same training plan as the first team.

Fonseca is changing a lot, compared to the Pioli era. It’s not a question of being better or worse coaches, it’s a question of style and choices.

Milan will play a different kind of football, more possession and less transitions, they will pass the ball more, they will try to attack high, they will no longer defend man to man all over the pitch.

This will be a challenge especially for Leao, who excels in the spaces created by recovered balls and being in the open field. The first signs will come on Saturday at 17:30 in the friendly against Rapid Wien, then games against Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona follow in the USA.